The Mystery of the Sand
by ARealBloodDrinker
Summary: Gaara x OC GaaxOC OCxGaa GaaraxOC OCxGaara GarraxOC OCxGarra ... REWRITING! DISCLAIMER: I Don't own Naruto
1. Chapter 1: Rescuing the Girl

A/N: THIS IS A RE-WRITE OF THE ORIGINAL FIRST CHAPTER! IMPORTANT DETAILS IN THE RE-WRITE!

"Blah, blah, blah" Talking

'Blah,Blah,Blah' Thinking

MYATTEMPTOFALINE

A lone soul travelled through the desert. They had set out in this direction a little over five hours ago, and had run out of food and water about thirty minutes in. They inwardly cursed themselves for not bringing more than one bottles worth of water and such little food.

Scorpions and lizards shifted through the sand. None could be seen by the traveller, though. The heat was unbearable, as it had been an hour ago, and they were pushing their body to the most it could go, with what little water they had drank.

A couple minutes later, they passed out, leaving themselves open for any creatures snack.

MYATTEMPTOFALINE

Ibiki and his team were walking through the desert, another C- Rank mission having been completed. Temari was following closely behind their sensei, Kankuro behind them by about three feet with Crow on his back, and Gaara last. The walk home to Suna was as dull as one could imagine walking through a desert to be. Temari was the first to notice a body not far off.

"Ibiki-Sensei! Someone's passed out over there. Should we help them?" Ibiki looked towards the body, concern appearing on his face.

"All of you! Follow me! We need to help them." He stated.

While Gaara couldn't care less, Kankuro was definitely worried. Once Ibiki and the siblings reached the body, Gaara was shocked to see the persons appearance. A young girl about his age with short black hair, pale skin, a black undershirt, torn up white jacket and worn out jeans. Temari checked the girls pulse and breathing.

"Phew. She's alright. We should bring her back to Suna." She stated.

"Alright, I'll carry..." Kankuro stopped once he saw Gaara had already picked her up himself with his sand and was walking towards Suna. The remaining squad members were shocked at the gesture, but decided it best to say nothing of it and continue on with Gaara.

Upon arriving in Suna, the shinobi and villagers looked at Gaara holding the body of the teenage girl, many assuming it was his newest victim. When the squad arrived at the hospital, everyone moved away from him, remembering the so-called monster and allowing him to get the fearful nurses attention. Ibiki spoke instead of Gaara.

"This girl was found passed out in the desert. We need a room for her immediately, her condition is unknown." The nurse nodded, then hesitantly asked Gaara to come with her to the hospital room where he then laid her down on the bed, removing his sand from under her.

The entire team decided they would stay with the girl, save for Gaara who simply kept his emotionless mask on. Soon enough, the girl came to. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal jade colored irises and seemingly unfocused pupils. She spoke for the first time she was brought here.

"Where the fuck am I?" Everyone in the room had a sweat drop on the back of their head. So she wasn't one for manners.

"Suna, the Village in the Sand. We brought you here after we found you in the desert. Do you feel alright?" Kankuro asked. The girl noticed a small difference in the chakra of someone who was at the edge of the room, and turned her head to face them on habit. Gaara and the mystery girl's unfocused eyes connected for a second. There he saw pain, sadness, and loneliness. 'The same as mine,' Gaara thought. As quickly as the emotions were displayed, they disappeared with a fake smile and glazed over eyes.

"I'm fine! Like a desert could kill me! Ha! I woulda been just fine if you left me there, but thanks anyways."

Gaara couldn't help but wonder what this girl was doing. Why hide how one felt like she did?

"Well," Ibiki had spoken up. "What were you doing alone in the desert?" Ibiki had a suspicious look on his face.

"I was... looking for something. But I guess it's gonna be a waste of time. You said Sand Village, right? Think I'll be allowed to stay?" She asked.

"Don't worry." Temari had spoken up. "Our father's the Hokage. Once we've got your name and have checked that you're of no threat, you can live here."

"So you need my name? It's Hotaru, Hotaru Tsukasa."

"Well, alright, Hotaru, I'll put in a word with my dad. I'm Temari, the guy with the makeup is my brother Kankuro-"

"IT'S FACE PAINT GOD DAMN IT!" Kankuro yelled.

"-the man in the bandages is our sensei, Ibiki." Temari stated. After the others introduced themselves, Gaara had left the room.

"Who was that person? The one who just left?" Hotaru asked.

"That was their brother and my student, Gaara. You may not want to anger him. He is... different than most people." Ibiki said.

The girl nodded, but in her mind made a different goal. '.'

The others left shortly after to report to the Kazekage. The full moon was already high up in the sky when she saw a figure simply laying on a rooftop. She knew who it was from the chakra being emitted from them. 'Gaara...'

A/N sounds sucky, but I'll get better at it. I'm better at 1st person. Really uninterested today. Wrote this awhile ago, I think I'm bit better now. Sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: An Episode

A/N: so, I'm gonna change up my story a bit from the plot I had worked up. It's minor.

I finally could get out of that damned hospital. It's so boring in there. Nothing to do at all. The only thing we seem to have is music in there.

"Hotaru, hurry up!" Temari called.

The one thing I hate more than being bored? Shopping.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I replied.

It didn't help the clothes store was right next to the hospital. I spotted Gaara just before i went in. some villagers were cowering, and they backed away from him but I didn't think much if it. After entering the store, Temari drags me to the girls section.

"Maybe a skirt, some jeans, ooh, this looks pretty...!"

While she was having fun there, I slipped over to the boys section and grabbed some clothes.

'Let's see here... black jeans, and a special white fishnet shirt. Now I just need a plain red tank top from the girls section. I wonder if they have ninjas here in Suna... actually, weren't the siblings ninjas?' I didn't even notice Temari came up behind me.

"HEY! We're clothes shipping, what're you doing at the guys section?" She questioned.

"I hate girl clothes. I've always worn guy clothes, and I'm not changing that. Got it? So stop trying to make me. And trust me, you're not gonna like it if I get angry." I said.

Temari caught the venom in my voice.

"I guess you and Gaara will get along well... but hey, you should buy something girly and dressy." She stated.

"And why should I?"

"Well, say there's a guy you like... wouldn't you like something nice and pretty to show off for him?"

At this I blushed. I always did picture me in a dress when I thought about a little romantic scene with some guy I loved.

"Fine, fine. But I pick the one we get." I said. I keep getting the feeling me and her will become friend enemies. I mean, she wasn't a bad person by any means, but I just didn't like the feeling she gave me.

"And you have to wear it home." Temari added.

"I hate you. So much."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Stop staring!"

We just got back. The dress I picked was a black one with red spots on it which resembled blood. It was actually quite pretty. But, Gaara was staring at it obviously enjoying the view. Then I remembered my question.

"Hey, you're all ninjas, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" Kankuro asked.

"I have ninja training. Can I join you all?"

Temari looked at me in disbelief.

"A ninja? What village are you from? You didn't have a headband."

No... I can't tell them. I won't! I don't even want to THINK about it!

"None of your business! Now don't ask again! Don't, don't, don't!" Tears threatened to leak from my eyes as the thought of my village came to mind.

Kankuro caught on to me, though.

"All right. If it's that bad we won't ask. It's okay." He said.

Gaara glanced at me before turning to his room.

"Weak. Just like I thought." His words hurt me. They echoed in my mind. A bad reminder of all of the things that caused me so much pain.

"No! No, please! I'm not weak! Please, stop! STOP!" I was screaming. He was in my mind, he was hurting me. Get him out! Get him out now! Please, god help me! Worst of all, I'm blind! I hate it when this happens!

Gaara stopped and looked at me. I was crying, and he had this blank face full of curiosity. It was... cute. I actually started to calm down, but only slightly. I wasn't yelling, but I was still crying. I want out of this room, even though without my sight I ran into a wall. I still made it out.

"HOTARU! Where are you going?!" Temari yelled after me.

I had a photographic memory, taking in my surroundings of the entire village as I was with Temari before. I made my way to the roof from the outside. I didn't want them knowing that's where I went, which would have been obvious from inside. I made my way from rooftop to rooftop to make it up. I could hear Temari barking at Kankuro and Gaara to look for me. From what I could tell Kankuro was listening since he spoke, but Gaara just went away, months of sightlessness sharpened my hearing to register Gaara walking back inside . Figures. After all, why would he care about insignificant me. I'm plain, I'm shorter than him a bit, so he has height advantage, and I'm probably considered to be inferior in his mind.

Hours passed by. No one even came up here. I'm still in my dress, just because the clothes were still inside. The desert was cold, but I didn't mind. I didn't even notice when someone was up here with me until a blanket was draped over me.

"Idiot." Gaara said. I recognised the voice.

"What're you doing here?" I asked, my voice emotionless.

"This is my spot. I should ask you that."

"Hmph. Whatever."

We sat in silence for a while. It wasn't an awkward silence, more like we understood the other was okay with minimal verbal communication, but I think we both enjoyed the others company. My sight came back as I could now gaze upon the night sky once more. A half moon, and a bright star filled sky.

"You ran into the wall." Gaara stated.

"Yeah. I think we all saw that. Why do you ask?"

"You're not a ninja. What ninja runs into a wall."

I didn't want to respond. He seemed perfectly fine with that, but I did have a question I wanted to ask.

"Gaara... why were those people so afraid of you today?"

Gaara looked emotionless, however his eyes did widen in surprise. So many thoughts must be going through his mind. I just don't know what they are.

"Because I'm a monster. They hate me, so I hate them. Loving them and forgiving them will not give me my strength." He stated.

A monster? Yeah, right, he goes around mindlessly murdering people. I moved closer to him, within arms length.

"That's ridiculous. You certainly don't look like a monster, so why do they fear you?" I said. I wasn't star gazing anymore. I was looking him right in the eyes.

"I hold Shukaku, the one tailed beast inside of me. It protects me, and they hate me for it. I hurt people, whether I wish to or not. I have been the target of assassinations for years from my own father."

My breath stopped. His father...? Trying to kill him?

"My own father. Do you know what it's like, being hated by everyone, being feared, being targeted since as early as eight years old? It hardens you. You fight for yourself. If you fight for others you will only become weak." He says.

"No." I said. Gaara turned to me. For the first time I really noticed his eyes. Hate. Fury. Loneliness. Hurt. And strangely, I saw comfort. "Being alone, it hurts. I've been alone all this time, and all I've been is weak. I've been weak whereas I should be strong. My village, they may have hated me, but I fought for them, no matter how much they hurt me, made me cry, or insulted me, the thought of helping them made me stronger. That maybe one day if I worked towards it, they could accept me. I was at my strongest then. A year later, and here I am. A weak girl."

Gaara seemed to understand, but he didn't really seem to want to comprehend this.

"My family is afraid of me. They are weak. I need to feel alive. Killing makes me feel alive. I will kill everyone on this Earth to feel it. They are here for my entertainment."

So he was in that stage.

"I've been where you've been Gaara. I'm going to trust you with what I haven't told anyone. A year ago, my village was destroyed. Mercenaries came into our village payed by a rival. We were only just starting out as a ninja village, still in the first generation. We didn't even have a symbol yet. Everyone hated me. I was that different girl, the one who everyone thinks is crazy, mental, has something wrong with her. My own dad hated me. He would've been punished for killing me, I think that's the only reason he didn't. He hit me, so many times. Called me weak, pathetic, worthless, a waste of space. When you called me weak, I could only think of him hitting me. I'm glad he's dead. The mental and physical abuse and trauma from those times caused my mind to shut down a sense, which was my sight. It went away after six months, but even now whenever I'm reminded of it, I lose my sight. After all that I wanted everyone to be killed. It felt good. But eventually I realized bloodlust couldn't replace true happiness. You don't understand now, but you will. Gaara, I'll be here for you. You won't be alone again, because to me, you're precious. One of a kind. You're no monster, you're a living, breathing person with just as much worth as anyone else."

My speech was over, and Gaara analysed me, as if it were a fresh start for me.

"Hmph. You'll be spared." Gaara stated.

I smiled at that. It wasn't because he wouldn't kill me, but because I think I just made myself his friend. His first real friend, and mine.

"Thank you for listening to me, Gaara. I'll always be there for you, you got it? Always." I said to him. Every word I said was true, every feeling I conveyed was real, and for once, I felt inexplicably happy around him.

"I'll be going to bed now. If Temari and Kankuro come back, mind having them let me sleep? And don't kill them." I asked.

"Fine, go to sleep. I'll train with you tomorrow."


End file.
